A new photograph of Princess Charlotte has been released to celebrate her 11th birthday.
Posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s official social media accounts, the image shows the princess smiling brightly while wearing a striped black-and-red jumper and blue jeans, surrounded by flowers and trees. It was taken by the family’s regular photographer, Matt Porteous, during their Easter break in Cornwall last month. The accompanying message read: “Wishing Charlotte a very happy 11th birthday!” followed by a birthday-cake emoji.
The portrait highlights Charlotte’s well-known love of the outdoors, echoing last year’s windswept birthday picture in which she grinned happily beside her mother. Her facial features closely resemble those of her father, Prince William—prompting many to call her his “mini-me”—while her long, flowing hair is more reminiscent of her mother, the Princess of Wales.
This is the second new image of Charlotte shared by the Waleses in recent days. Earlier this week, to mark their 15th wedding anniversary, they released a relaxed family photograph from the same Cornwall trip showing Charlotte smiling alongside her mother and younger brother, Prince Louis; she is wearing the same ivy-blue nail varnish in both pictures.
Public reaction has been warm, with fans noting how “grown-up” she looks and praising her natural poise. As third in line to the throne, Charlotte is expected one day to hold the title of Princess Royal, following in the footsteps of her great-aunt Princess Anne. Changes to succession rules in 2013, which removed male-preference primogeniture, made her the first British princess to rank above a younger brother.
Born Charlotte Elizabeth Diana on 2 May 2015 at 8:34 a.m. in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, London, she weighed 8 lb 3 oz. Now a pupil at Lambrook School, she leads a largely private life under the protection of her parents. Those who know the family describe her as confident and independent—the “boss” at home who is not afraid to speak her mind. Prince William once revealed that she persuaded him to shave off his beard when she disapproved of it. Royal historian Marlene Koenig has called her the family’s “secret weapon.”
Charlotte’s parents portray her as a typical 11-year-old who enjoys ballet, dancing, Taylor Swift, and making friendship bracelets—one of which she famously gave her father with the word “papa” on it. She is also known for looking after her younger brothers, especially Prince Louis, who turned eight last month.
Her previous birthday portraits have captured different sides of her personality: a cheeky grin and flowing blonde hair at age nine, a relaxed moment with the family’s cocker spaniel Orla at age eight, and a playful scene pushing a trolley of bricks on her first birthday. Last year’s image showed her in a more casual, nature-focused style—windswept, wearing a leaf-patterned coat and backpack—further revealing her outgoing side.
Charlotte’s most recent public appearance was on Easter Sunday, when she joined senior royals for the traditional service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. She and her mother were seen walking out hand-in-hand, both dressed in coordinated cream and camel tones, offering a sweet mother-daughter moment that delighted onlookers.
